A steerable drive axle of a vehicle typically includes a half axle originating at a differential at its inboard end and connecting at its outboard end at a constant velocity (CV) joint. The CV joint normally includes an inner race which is splined to the outboard end of the half axle to receive drive torque therefrom and an outer race which is coupled with the inner race to receive the torque at a constant angular velocity through a torque transferring arrangement such as torque transmitting balls. The outer race of the CV joint has a stub shaft formed as a part thereof or splined thereto. This stub shaft extends through a bore in a steering knuckle and is supported in that bore by a wheel hub to which it is splined and one or more bearing assemblies. These bearing assemblies allow the hub and the stub shaft to rotate within the bore. The hub has a wheel mounting flange formed radially thereon to allow a wheel rim to be mounted thereto and secured for rotation with the wheel hub using a plurality of wheel mounting studs and associated internally threaded wheel mounting lugnuts. A brake rotor disk is also typically secured to the wheel mounting flange by the wheel mounting studs. This brake rotor disk acts with brake calipers fixed to the knuckle for stopping rotation of the wheel rim. A tire is typically mounted on the wheel rim.
In wheel end assemblies known in the prior art, it has been necessary to install the assembled wheel hub and bearing unit into the knuckle without the rotor and to then install the rotor on the hub. This does not allow the rotor and hub to be final machined as a unit for run out control.